Blue Mountains-based composer wins with the stunning 'Regrowth'
Choreographers nationwide invited to submit a new work set to her ode to nature
Fifteen shortlisted works by Australian composers will provided to dance instructors for inclusion in their teaching
Up-and-coming Blue Mountains composer Emma Greenhill will create a new piece of music for the world-first composition-to-choreography competition MadeBy, an initiative of OneMusic Australia and the Australian arm of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD)
Greenhill's winning submission 'Regrowth' is a stunning meditation on the devastation of the 2019-20 bushfires and nature's resiliency, and it stood out among hundreds of entries from Australian composers. For MadeBy's next stage of the competition, aspiring choreographers nationwide will be invited to create an original dance work in response to 'Regrowth.'
The winning choreographer and Greenhill will then collaborate on a new dance work set to a new composition, for a world premiere in 2022. Greenhill will receive mentoring from award-winning composer and performer Cat Hope, and her choregrapher counterpart will be guided by celebrated Australian choreographer and ballerina Alice Topp. A composer, violinist, arranger and educator, Greenhill is passionate about expanding the Australian musical landscape with more idiomatic and accessible pieces.
"I’m really looking forward to seeing my piece be interpreted by another artist through a different art form. It will also be very exciting to see my music literally come to life through the physical act of dance, something I have always been very captivated by since childhood.
"The opportunity to then collaborate with the chosen choreographer and give them the opportunity to tell a story of their own through my music, will be an absolute privilege I am thrilled to undertake," said Greenhill.
Recognition of the high calibre of work submitted by composers, a shortlist of 15 recommended musical works from entrants will be provided to RAD teachers for inclusion in their teaching.
"The overwhelming response to this initiative is not only proof of a vibrant and diverse composing community eager to collaborate with the dance sector, but also shows how vital these opportunities are for music creators in the current climate," said Cameron Lam, APRA AMCOS Art Music Specialist.
"APRA AMCOS congratulates Emma and the 15 shortlist composers whose work will be shared widely with the Royal Academy of Dance. Thanks to all involved in making this happen."
The competition's aim is to further integrate the two cultural sectors, which are under immense pressure due to the impact of COVID-19. The winning creators each receive a share of the $15,000 prize pool, as well as ongoing royalties for future performances in any format, anywhere in the world.
With the MadeBy baton now passed to emerging Australian choreographers RAD Australia's National Marketing and Communications Manager Nichola Hall is excited to open Stage two on 17 May.
"We have been overwhelmed and inspired by the huge response MadeBy has had from Australian composers. The shortlisted works are incredibly diverse and demonstrate the simmering creativity bubbling under the surface in Australia today. Through this shortlist, RAD Australia is thrilled to connect so many composers to dancers and choreographers here in Australia and cannot wait to see how Emma Greenhill's 'Regrowth' comes to life visually through movement."
MadeBy highlights the business of music and dance, artistic currency and interconnectivity. Together the two industries deliver $15 billion to the country’s bottom line.